He discussed Todd Pletcher’s position of having at least five likely starters in the race. Lukas saddled five in 1996 and won with Grindstone.

“You can have five, six, seven, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the right one,” he said. “Todd’s no cinch with five ... but he’s very strong and he knows what to do with them. I like his chances five times better than the guy with one.”

His advice for Pletcher: Saddle them all, so there are no questions afterward.

“When I saddled five in Grindstone’s year, I saddled them in order,” he said. “I didn’t want to offend any of the clients.”

• Long day for Napravnik: With a change in plans for Derby contender Mylute, Saturday will be nonstop for jockey Rosie Napravnik. She’s scheduled to work Mylute at 5:45 a.m. at Churchill Downs, then prepare to ride seven races on opening night, including the last race at 11:10 p.m.

Trainer Tom Amoss originally had planned to work Mylute on Sunday.

“No. 1, I don’t care for the weather forecast, and I’d rather work further out than closer out,” he said of his change in plans. “Secondly, with night racing on Saturday, the jockeys aren’t going to get done until after 11 o’clock. I don’t want to work the following morning and feel like everyone is not totally focused on the task at hand.”

Dispute, a daughter of the great stallion Danzig, capped a huge Oaks Day for McGaughey, who also won the Early Times Turf Classic with Lure and the Louisville Breeders’ Cup (now the La Troienne) with Quilma.

He’s back at Churchill Downs this year with Florida Derby winner Orb, a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby.

“That was a big thrill for me to win the Oaks,” said McGaughey, a Tates Creek High School graduate. “She was a really, really good filly. ... She never was anything as a broodmare, though. She was a big beautiful filly with an outstanding pedigree. She’s had some daughters who have been OK.”

Dispute was in foal to Cherokee Run in 2003 when she was sold for $400,000 to Stonerside Farm, and she was resold to Snyder for $70,000 while in foal to Congaree. Snyder said he has three of her daughters as broodmares and hopes the brilliant pedigree will revive through those daughters.

• Big Derby for Virgin Islands: Victor Lebron, a staple on the Kentucky and Indiana circuit, will ride in the Kentucky Derby for the first time aboard Arkansas Derby runner-up Frac Daddy.

“Me and Kevin Krigger (rider of Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents), we are the first Virgin Islanders to be in the Derby,” Lebron said. “I just want that day to come already. It’s a dream come true for me.”